1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a light-source lamp unit that appropriately works as a light source for an optical apparatus such as a projection-type display apparatus which is capable of employing different types of light source. The present invention also relates to a light-source device having such a light-source lamp unit and a projection-type display apparatus having such a light-source device.
2. Background Art
Projection-type display apparatuses capable of projecting an enlarged image from a personal computer have been actively studied and developed. Such a projection-type display apparatus modulates an output light from a light-source lamp using a light valve such as a liquid-crystal display panel based on an image signal, and enlarges and projects the modulated light image on a projection screen through a projection lens.
Used as a light-source lamp for the projection-type display apparatus are a metal halide lamp, a xenon lamp, and a high-pressure mercury lamp. These light-source lamps emit a relatively stable light for a few thousand hours, but if they are used longer, the life of the lamp will expire, the quantity of light drops, and light intensity varies depending on wavelength, possibly degrading color balance. When the life of the lamp actually expires, a projected image is darkened and the color balance drops degrading image quality. To preclude such problems, it is necessary to replace the lamp before its life expires.
To avoid continuously using a lamp into its life-expired state, a mechanism for automatically warning that the lamp is approaching its expiration of life or a mechanism for forcibly blocking the use of the lamp expired have been proposed. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Nos. 4-5622, 4-163584, 4-250437, and 4-323531 disclose such mechanisms.
In these mechanisms, the operation time count of the lamp should be measured, and when the lamp is replaced with a new one, the replacement has to be automatically detected to clear the time count value. Some mechanisms have been proposed for sensing automatically that an expendable item such as a lamp is replaced with a new one, wherein a fuse, attached to the expendable item such as a lamp, is employed such that it melts at the replacement of the item and the opening of the fuse by the melt is electrically detected to determine whether the expendable item is a new one. For example, mechanisms using such a fuse are proposed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Nos. 4-144754 and 6-89287.
The technique proposed in the above disclosures assumes that the same type of lamp is usually used as the light source. In a diversity of optical apparatus, there will be times when lamps of different types and different output powers need to be selectively used depending on operational environments.
In the projection-type display apparatus, for example, the brightness of a projected image is subject to its upper limit when the same light-source lamp is used. Depending on operational environment, the projected image lacks brightness. For example, when a metal halide lamp is used as a light-source lamp, the display apparatus is designed to selectively employ lamps of 180 W and 100 W, and when a brighter projected image is needed, a 180 W lamp may be used.
With lamps of different characteristics, for example, of different output power, each lamp needs to be driven at driving condition appropriate to the characteristics of the lamp, and to this end, lamp drive and control circuits need to be replaced to match each lamp type. Such an method is not only inconvenient but also costly to run.
The 180 W metal halide lamp has a service life of 1000 hours or so while a low-power 100 W metal halide lamp has a longer service life of 6000 hours. In the projection-type display apparatus permitting lamps of different characteristics, if the techniques described in the above disclosures apply as they are, the service life of each lamp cannot be correctly determined and a display advising a lamp replacement cannot be presented in a timely manner, because the lamps are different from each other in service life. For example, when a 180 W metal halide lamp is replaced with a 100 W metal halide lamp after a fixed period of time of use, the operation time count for the current lamp is added to the operation time count for the first lamp, and then, the 100 W metal halide lamp is erroneously determined as a life-expired one though it is not. Furthermore, when the 180 W metal halide lamp is replaced with the 100 W metal halide lamp, the 100 W metal halide lamp is sensed as a new one, and the operation time count of the 180 W metal halide lamp until then is cleared, and even if the same 180 lamp is used again, the operation time count is not considered in counting, and the opening of the lamp may suddenly take place before the determination of life expiration.
The lamps vary in color balance depending on their type, and a projected image of the projection-type display apparatus is maintained at its proper condition by the use of a lamp having a color balance that matches the type of the projected image and the operational environment. To this end, an arrangement is preferably provided to permit lamps of different types to be selectively used. Even in such an arrangement, however, the lamps of different types vary in life and lamp output power, and it is necessary to drive each lamp according to a driving condition appropriate to the lamp and to determine the life of the lamp depending on its type. The techniques proposed in the above disclosures fail to perform these functions.
A lamp drawing near to the end of life suffers a drop in luminance, and the luminance of the light source suddenly rises when the lamp is replaced with a new one. As a result, the projection-type display apparatus presents a sudden rise in brightness in the projected image, and a user has to manually adjust luminance each time the lamp is replaced. Manually adjusting the luminance of the light source at each lamp replacement is troublesome and inconvenient.
It is an object of the present invention to propose a light-source lamp unit free from the above conventional problems.
It is an object of the present invention to propose a light-source device, having the light-source lamp unit, free from the above conventional problems.
It is an object of the present invention to propose a projection-type display apparatus, having the light-source device, free from the above conventional problems.
To achieve the above objectives, the light-source lamp unit of the present invention comprises, in its organization, lamp-information storing means for storing lamp information about the type of a light-source lamp. With this arrangement, the lamp type is sensed by the light-source device of an optical apparatus in which the light-source lamp unit is mounted, and the light-source lamp unit is driven to light in optimal control in accordance with the lamp type. Light-source lamp units of different types are thus compatibly mounted on the same light-source device.
The light-source lamp unit of the present invention comprises, in its organization, lamp-information storing means for storing lamp information indicating the remaining life of the light-source lamp. The light-source lamp unit stores the information about the remaining life of the lamp, while the light-source device of the optical apparatus in which the light-source lamp unit is mounted senses the remaining life borne and the expiration time of the life of the light-source lamp is accurately determined.
The light-source lamp unit of the present invention comprises, in its organization, lamp-information storing means for storing lamp information indicating the life of the light-source lamp at the moment of the fresh start in use and lamp information indicating the operation time count of the light-source lamp. With this arrangement, the light-source device of the optical apparatus in which the light-source lamp unit is mounted senses the remaining life, and the expiration time of the life of the light-source lamp is accurately determined.
The light-source lamp unit of the present invention comprises, in its organization, lamp-information storing means for storing lamp information indicating the power rating of the light-source lamp. With this arrangement, when the power rating borne is sensed by the light-source device with a light-source lamp unit of a different power rating mounted on the light-source device of the optical apparatus, the light-source lamp unit is constantly driven to light at an appropriate power. Furthermore, the lamp-information storing means preferably stores information as to whether the light-source lamp is a new one or not.
The light-source lamp unit comprises the light-source lamp, a reflective mirror for reflecting a divergent light beam from the light-source lamp to output a parallel light beam, a lamp housing for supporting the reflective mirror, and an electrode lead that is led out of the end of an emission tube of the light-source lamp that is projected forward out of a reflective surface of the reflective mirror and that is connected to an external connection terminal board which is positioned to the rear side of the reflective surface of the reflective mirror. The electrode lead is preferably routed via the portion of the reflective mirror other than the effective reflective area of the reflective mirror. The terminal board is preferably supported at a position other than the reflective surface of the reflective mirror.
The present invention relates to the light-source device on which a light-source lamp unit is mounted, and the light-source device comprises the light-source lamp unit having the lamp-information storing means for storing the information about the type of the light-source lamp, sensing means for sensing the lamp information borne by the lamp-information storing means, memory means for storing the information about lamp power rating according to the type of the light-source lamp, and drive and control means for driving and controlling the light-source lamp based on the lamp information sensed by the sensing means, wherein the drive and control means retrieves the information about the lamp power rating corresponding to the type of the light-source lamp sensed and drives the light-source lamp at the lamp power. The light-source device of the present invention thus constructed uses compatibly light-source lamps of different power ratings.
The light-source device of the present invention comprises the light-source lamp unit having the lamp-information storing means for storing the lamp information indicating the remaining life of the light-source lamp, sensing means for sensing the remaining life of the light-source lamp borne by the lamp-information storing means, drive and control means for driving and controlling the light-source lamp based on the lamp information sensed by the sensing means, counting means for counting the operation time of the light-source lamp, and remaining life updating means for updating the information about the remaining life borne by the lamp-information storing means based on the operation time count given by the counting means, wherein the drive and control means drives the light-source lamp to light the light-source lamp only when the updated remaining life updated by the remaining life updating means is not zero. The light-source device thus constructed accurately determines the expiration time of the lamp life of each light-source lamp unit even if a plurality of light-source lamp units of the same type are interchangeably used. The light-source device uses compatibly a plurality of light-source lamp units.
The light-source device of the present invention comprises the light-source lamp unit having the lamp-information storing means for storing the lamp information indicating the life of the light-source lamp at the moment of the fresh start in use and the lamp information indicating the operation time count of the light-source lamp, sensing means for sensing the life and the operation time count of the light-source lamp borne by the lamp-information storing means, counting means for counting the operation time of the light-source lamp, comparing means for comparing the sum of the operation time count sensed by the sensing means and the operation time count given by the counting means with the life of the light-source lamp, drive and control means for driving the light-source lamp to light the light-source lamp only when the sum is shorter than the life, and updating means for updating the operation time count borne by the lamp-information storing means to the resulting sum. The light-source device thus constructed accurately determines the expiration time of the lamp life of each light-source lamp unit even if a plurality of light-source lamp units are interchangeably used.
The light-source device of the present invention comprises the light-source lamp unit having the lamp-information storing means for storing the information indicating the power rating of the light-source lamp, sensing means for sensing the lamp information, and drive and control means for driving and controlling the light-source lamp based on the lamp information sensed by the sensing means, wherein the drive and control means drives the light-source lamp at the sensed lamp power. The light-source device thus constructed performs lighting control at the power appropriate to the mounted light-source lamp unit.
The lamp-information storing means preferably stores information indicating whether the light-source lamp is a new one or not. The light-source device of the present invention comprises lamp life memory means for storing the information about the lamp life according to the type of the light-source lamp, counting means for counting the operation time of the light-source lamp, time count memory means for storing the operation time count counted by the counting means according to the type of the light-source lamp, and comparing means for comparing the lamp life of the light-source lamp with the operation time count of the light-source lamp, wherein the counting means resets the operation time count of the light-source lamp stored in the time count memory means when the light-source lamp is sensed as a new one, and then starts counting; and the drive and control means drives the light-source lamp to light the light-source lamp at the power of the light-source lamp sensed only when the comparison result given by the comparing means reveals that the operation time count of the light-source lamp is shorter than the lamp life of the light-source lamp. With this arrangement, the lighting control is optimally performed in accordance with the power rating and the life of the mounted light-source lamp unit.
In this case, the drive and control means preferably comprises luminance adjusting means for adjusting the luminance of the light-source lamp when the light-source lamp is sensed as a new one. With the luminance adjusting means, there is no need for a manual luminance adjustment at each lamp replacement.
To warn a user before the actual life expiration of the lamp that the lamp life expiration draws near, the light-source device of the present invention further comprises second comparing means for comparing a set time that is shorter than the lamp life of the light-source lamp by a fixed duration, with the operation time count, and warning means for warning that the light-source lamp draws near the end of its life when the comparison result given by the second comparing means reveals that the operation time count exceeds the set time.
To help the user to easily replace the light-source lamp unit with the one of a different type, the light-source device of the present invention preferably comprises a lamp unit mount for detachably mounting the light-source lamp unit, wherein the light-source lamp unit comprises a lamp housing that is assembled to the lamp unit mount.
The lamp-information storing means preferably stores information by the layout of a plurality of light reflective surfaces and non-reflective surfaces. In this case, the sensing means comprises photocouplers for optically sensing the light reflective surfaces and the non-reflective surfaces.
The light-source device comprises the light-source lamp, a reflective mirror for reflecting a divergent light beam from the light-source lamp to output a parallel light beam, a lamp housing for supporting the reflective mirror, and an electrode lead that is led out of the end of an emission tube of the light-source lamp that is projected forward out of a reflective surface of the reflective mirror and that is connected to an external connection terminal board which is positioned to the rear side of the reflective surface of the reflective mirror. The electrode lead is preferably routed via the portion of the reflective mirror other than the effective reflective area of the reflective mirror. The terminal board of the light-source lamp unit is preferably supported at a position other than the reflective surface of the reflective mirror.
The light-source device of the present invention is preferably used as a light source for a projection-type display apparatus. More specifically, the projection-type display apparatus of the present invention comprises the light-source device according to one of the light-source devices described above, modulation means for modulating an output light beam emitted by the light-source device according to an image signal, and projection means for projecting the modulated light beam to a projection surface.
In this case, the projection-type display apparatus of the present invention comprises warning means for warning that the remaining life of the light-source lamp is shorter than a preset time, wherein the warning means is screen brightness adjusting means for reducing the brightness of a projected image projected by the projection means by a predetermined level.
In addition to the above-described arrangement, the projection-type display apparatus, to which the present invention is applied, further comprises first and second lens plates, each having a structure of a plurality of lenses, and a light valve for modulating an output light beam from the second lens plate, wherein the output light from the light-source device is directed to each lens structure of the second lens plate as a secondary light-source image by the first lens plate. In this case, the light-source device preferably comprises the light-source lamp, a reflective mirror for reflecting a divergent light beam from the light-source lamp to output a parallel light beam, a lamp housing for supporting the reflective mirror, and an electrode lead that is led out of the end of an emission tube of the light-source lamp that is projected forward out of a reflective surface of the reflective mirror and that is connected to an external connection terminal board which is positioned to the rear side of the reflective surface of the reflective mirror. The electrode lead is routed via the portion of the reflective mirror other than the effective reflective area of the reflective mirror, and wherein the portion of the electrode lead positioned on the side of the reflective surface of the reflective mirror is arranged along a groove of the structure of the plurality of lenses of the first lens plate. Furthermore the terminal board of the light-source lamp unit is preferably supported at a position other than the reflective surface of the reflective mirror.
The light-source lamp unit of the present invention comprises a light-source lamp, and lamp-information storing means for storing information indicating whether the light-source lamp is a new one or not. The lamp-information storing means comprises a fuse, which indicates, by the melted-open state or closed state, whether the light-source lamp is a new one or not.
The light-source device provided with the light-source lamp unit thus constructed comprises sensing means for sensing the information borne by the lamp-information storing means, and setting means that melts the fuse and sets the information stored by the lamp-information storing means to be indicative of not a new lamp when the sensing means senses that the light-source lamp is a new one.
The light-source device further comprises counting means for counting the operation time of the light-source lamp, memory means for storing the operation time count of the light-source lamp counted by the counting means, and comparing means for comparing the operation time count with a preset time, wherein the light-source lamp is lit only when the operation time count is shorter than the preset time; since the light-source device is permitted to use the light-source lamp until a moment prior to the expiration of the lamp life, the continuous use of the light-source lamp into life-expired state is prevented. Alternatively, the light-source lamp may be designed to be extinguished when the operation time count exceeds the preset time, to prevent the continuous use of the light-source lamp into the life-expired state.
The light-source device preferably comprises reset means for resetting the operation time count to an initial default value when the sensing means senses that the light-source lamp is a new one. Furthermore, luminance adjusting means conveniently frees the user from a manual luminance adjustment at each lamp replacement.